]]> http://priceburner.com/online-backup/151/remote-backup/carbonite-vs-mozy-which-online-backup-is-best/feed/ 10 http://priceburner.com/online-backup/172/remote-backup/consequences-of-data-loss-and-why-should-offsite-backup-be-used-2/ http://priceburner.com/online-backup/172/remote-backup/consequences-of-data-loss-and-why-should-offsite-backup-be-used-2/#comments Wed, 19 May 2010 21:41:19 +0000 Nick Kurentz http://priceburner.com/online-backup/172/remote-backup/consequences-of-data-loss-and-why-should-offsite-backup-be-used-2/ There is a calculated trend in all business corporations and firms: when the enterprise is getting bigger, its support of data increases its complexity, volume and value. The larger your enterprise is, the more significant your data files become. The traditional tape backup can no longer produce in-depth data information about all the important features of your business. That’s why many people get acknowledged to a more adequate file protection. A secure offsite backup system can be the possible solution. Business owners and offices managers have got it straight: if the business is to flourish, precise data information storage should be used.
Offsite backup systems offer something, which no other data store can do: they protect to the greatest extent all your files. But why should they do that, you may ask. Imagine you are a business owner. You have your own office computer, which is crammed up with all the valuable info. Well, what if the computer gets stolen, or a short-cut puts it out of practice? What will happen to your enterprise? If you are still not convinced enough to the rational extent, let’s consider the following statistic data. 1 in every 4 computer users suffers a critical data loss every year. Last years over 500,000 were stolen. Disk and other hardware failures are so numerous that major disk and computer manufacturers/resellers are reducing their warranties to 12 months. Over 25% of data loss is a result of computer program errors, software viruses and natural disasters (factors completely out of your control). 50% of businesses that lose their data never open their doors again. Of those businesses that do manage to stay open, 90% end up failing within two years. Data loss will cost business an estimated £12 Billion this year.
Still not believing? Consider the following fact: computer experts say that once data is lost, it can no longer be recovered to the full. Some data that contains pieces of valuable information will be forever lost in the digital space, with no hope of getting it back. Disaster recovery planning (DV) often fails to extract the lost files in the similar way as they were before the disaster struck. This happens because of the various regulations and compliance, which occur during the recovery process.
Data loss can happen to anyone, no matter how good the tape protection system is. There is no tape backup that can comprise all the valuable information without omitting some precious stuff. Text documents, financial records, contact records, address books, email messages and databases that you have created on your computer or servers may disappear forever unless you take a serious action to prevent it. The lost files are hard to recover, and it takes a lot of precious time and nerve-racking to recover even to the approximate extent the ruined system as it was before the disaster. The value of data highly exceed the mere cost of your computer or server, as you have to pay a great amount of money for reproducing the whole information as it was before the crack down. So, the most reasonable thing to do, if you don’t want to spend a lot of money afterwards, is to re-ensure your system using secure online backups.
Even though that is the sacred truth, most people avoid taking backup precautions. They leave their data files unprotected, and thus expose their business on the danger of bankrupt. Why do people do it? Because of laziness, because they don’t want to spend additional money, or just because they think that would never happen to them. Is it so hard to take some pre-consideration and backup your data? Sooner or later, everyone gets a strike in their unprotected file systems. Then it is too late to split hairs over the lost information. You should better take the action in advance and construct a data backup system, so that your files are fully protected and your business is ensured. ]]> http://priceburner.com/online-backup/172/remote-backup/consequences-of-data-loss-and-why-should-offsite-backup-be-used-2/feed/ 0 http://priceburner.com/online-backup/162/online-backup/carbonite-vs-mozy-home-which-service-holds-the-edge-for-online-backup/ http://priceburner.com/online-backup/162/online-backup/carbonite-vs-mozy-home-which-service-holds-the-edge-for-online-backup/#comments Sun, 09 May 2010 20:59:35 +0000 Nick Kurentz http://priceburner.com/online-backup/162/online-backup/carbonite-vs-mozy-home-which-service-holds-the-edge-for-online-backup/ Carbonite vs Mozy Home is the ultimate match-up between two of the leading online backup services available today. In this day in age where data loss, virus attacks, computer crashes, and theft are too common, it’s imperative computer files are backed up regularly and that’s where these two providers come into play.

So why only compare Carbonite vs Mozy Home? The answer is easy. These are the two most popular and widely used online backup services for home users right now. They dominate this market because they both are easy to use and very inexpensive. The real question is, which one is best? Let’s take a look at some of the most important areas to evaluate when it comes to online backup and see how these two providers compare.

Cost & Storage Capacity

The amount of data you can backup online and the cost of doing so are probably the two areas of concern that come to mind immediately for home users contemplating which backup provider to choose. Both Carbonite and Mozy Home offer unlimited backup. It doesn’t matter if you have a few files to backup or several thousand, you won’t have anything to worry about with either provider. Carbonite offers one, two, and three year subscriptions. The one year subscription costs $54.95. Mozy Home offers a month-to-month plan and one and two year subscriptions. Their month-to-month plan costs $4.95/month while their one year subscriptions are $54.45.

Ease of Use

Both providers promise their services are easy to use and that the backup process when using their services is literally “set and forget.” According to most users of both services, Carbonite and Mozy Home deliver on those promises. There is one common complaint, however, for both providers and that is the time it takes for the initial backup. It’s important to point out that this isn’t the fault of either service provider. The time it takes for the initial backup is totally dependent on amount of the data that needs to be backed up and the speed of your Internet connection. If you have 30GB of data that needs to be backed up initially it will take roughly the same amount of time using either one of these providers because of the constraints of upload speeds of most Internet connections. While the match up in this area seems to be even, Carbonite takes the slight edge over Mozy Home according to users because of its simple interface. Mozy Home has more advanced settings within its interface which may satisfy computer geeks but it seems to be overwhelming for some home users. 

Backup Process and Security

Carbonite and Mozy Home both allow automatic or scheduled backups so that you can just install the software, run the initial backup and select your backup settings (automatic or scheduled), and then just literally forget about it. As for security, both of these online backup service providers use advanced technology to ensure that your files are encrypted on your computer before they are uploaded to their secured servers. Both services keep your files encrypted while being stored on their servers.

Restoring Files

Carbonite uses a standard process for restoring files which is activated simply by using the restore function in the software’s desktop interface. With Mozy Home, you can restore your files using one of three methods: desktop interface restore, web restore, and DVD restore. It is also important to note that with both Carbonite and Mozy Home, restoring a large set of data and files can take a while so if you have 30GB of data to restore, don’t expect to have it back on your computer within a few hours. Instead, it can take a few days. 

Customer Support

In this category, users of both services say their is need for improvement. There have been comments from users of both providers that support can be slow at responding to customer queries and that the information they are given isn’t complete and thorough. Overall, Carbonite has the edge because it offers phone, live chat, and email support. Mozy Home only offers live chat and email support.

Carbonite vs Mozy Home Summary

Judging from the above feature-for-feature match up, Carbonite and Mozy Home are virtually identical in price and features so it’s difficult to declare an absolute winner. Neither one is perfect but you shouldn’t expect that when you’re getting unlimited online storage for less than $5/month. For every customer that swears by Carbonite, there is one that swears by Mozy Home. The match up is virtually dead even. The best thing to do is to try both services to see which one works best for you and to decide which one you like the best. Both services are incredibly cheap and easy to test. Carbonite backup offers a free 15-day trial and Mozy Home has a month-to-month option that only costs $4.95/month. Take them both for a test drive and see for yourself which one is the winner!

Read the full Carbonite vs Mozy Home comparison and review and see which one is declared the “Editor’s Choice” by the editor of the website, best online storage .

What’s Good and Not-so-Good

One great thing about Mozy Home is that there is a free version for those who only have a small amount of data to backup. The free version allows you to backup up to 2GB of data. If you need more space than that, then you’ll need to upgrade to the unlimited plan. Don’t worry, though, because the plan is less than $5 per month and you get unlimited backup storage space!

Getting started with Mozy Home for first-time users is not a problem at all as the setup process is simple and the interface is user-friendly. But don’t be surprised if the initial backup takes days to finish if you have a really large volume of data to back up. The same is true with other online storage and backup services due to the constraints of the upload speeds of Internet connections. Once the initial backup is completed, you can set it to do automatic backups or scheduled backups. From that point forward, Mozy Home works seamlessly in the background without hogging so much of your computer’s resources. The service also gets points when it comes to the security of your files as they are encrypted before leaving your computer and are then uploaded via a secured Internet connection and then stored in their encrypted state on Mozy’s secure servers.

When it comes to restoring your files, Mozy gives you three options on how you want your files restored: desktop, web, and DVD restore. Having multiple options to restore your data is good but some users have reported that the restore process can take a while. In some cases, it can take Mozy a good 24 hours just to prepare your data for restoration if you have a large set of data to restore, and that doesn’t include the time it takes to actually download the files or have them sent to you via the DVDs if you choose that option. For smaller files, you can do a quick and easy desktop restore, where you simply use the restore interface found in your Mozy Home desktop software interface. For larger files however, Mozy recommends you use web restore where you make a restore request directly to Mozy. While the request itself can be done easily, downloading the zip files can take some time, and for those unfamiliar with zip files, sorting through these can be pretty daunting. If either option doesn’t work for you, you can also use the DVD restore alternative and have your files sent to you on DVD for a fee of about $60. Mozy Home also doesn’t fare as well when it comes to customer support, according to some users. For starters, there is no telephone support. You can only contact Mozy via live chat or by email. The other issue is that some users have commented that Mozy can be slow to respond to queries and that the information provided isn’t always thorough. However, many users report that Mozy’s support is responsive and excellent at providing information.

Mozy Home Review Summary

Just like any other online backup service, Mozy Home has its pros and cons. It isn’t perfect but then again no service is. Overall, Mozy Home is an excellent value. To get unlimited backup for less than $5 per month is cheap “insurance” and a great way to protect your important files and data.

Read the full Mozy Home review to get more detailed information and to find out how to get 10% off your subscription! Only then will you be able to decide if it is the best online storage solution for you!

There are many ways to backup your critical computer files. You can do a formal backup, you can drag individual files and folders to a separate drive, you can create CDs and DVDs, and you can even upload important files to a storage spot on the internet.

Formal backup programs often create zip files of your data. They save space, but you will have to restore the everything to access just one of your files. Not convenient. CDs and DVDs have to be lugged around, and it can be difficult to find the latest versions of documents.

If you create the right kind of backups, you will do more than simply have files you can restore. You will create an interactive file system that you can use daily as extra hard drive space and smart file organization, as well as having up-to-date backup copies of all of your important data.

Create Backups You Can Really Use – Synchronize Your Files

You can create a backup system that is easy to maintain — and provides instant access to your data on an individual file basis. Data protection that is also useful on a day to day basis.

Critical Aspects of a Backup System for Your Data

Easy to use: Set the system up once and then it basically runs itself on a pre-set schedule.

Reliable: You don’t want to grab your backup and find out that it really didn’t work and what you thought you had backed up is gone.

Time efficient: Takes minimal time to do the weekly backups after creating the initial full backup.

Quick and direct access to the most recent versions of your files or documents without having to do a ‘restore’ of the whole backup.

Smart backup system: It will update files that have been changed without asking me what to do with each file. Able to be customized to meet your needs.

Can easily use the files on a different computer: Allows you to plug in to a different computer and have immediate access to the files you need.

Synchronization : It will let you determine which files should be updated as well as allow you to let the most recent changes show up on all copies of that file, no matter if it is your main computer copy or your backup hard drive copy.

An effective system can be developed using an external hard drive. For under $100, you can buy a portable wallet-sized hard drive that will store 500 MB or more of your critical data. Non-portable drives are even less expensive, but the portable drive’s small size lets you use it anywhere you are with your computer.

The next step is to find a program that will do the actual file transfer and updating. There are lots of applications available that will perform these functions; some you have to pay for and others are free. A search on the internet will return hundreds of options.

There is a great little program that does almost everything – it’s called SyncBack. It allows me to send easy, one-click backups to my portable hard drive. It automatically updates files on the backup that I have updated on my computer. If I have to delete a bunch of files on my computer to make room for new ones, and I run the backup, it leaves those files on my portable hard drive.

There is only one requirement in order to use the service, that is, you must be able to actively connect to the internet to access the service.  Whether you are an individual wanting to preserve memories or a business entrepreneur that needs large data storage, your best bet for data protection is to back them up online.

The online data backup is a system that automatically back up files, encrypts, and transmits the same to a dedicated server.  Since the transmission is highly secured and can happen almost instantaneously, users will find the service to be time efficient and effective.  Data is protected at all times with users being able to access the same data at anytime they wish.

Especially when you use the computer for your business, you will realize how practical backing up your files online can be.  For one, you free your hard drive from volumes of files that can slow down the performance of your computer.  Hard drives can succumb to errors particularly when they are frequently used and carelessly maintained.

Another thing is you save yourself from the hassle of manually backing up your files using traditional methods as tapes and disks.  These tapes and disks will require careful handling and storage.  You don’t have any guarantee that these disks and tapes are not going to fail you.  What happens to your data when these tapes and disks are lost for whatever reasons?

When you safe keep your data online, the guarantee of security and protection is higher as you are practically safe keeping the data on a different location.  The servers where your data are stored have their own backup mechanism to protect the integrity and reliability of your files.

Data recovery is convenient and happens almost in an instant.  You just have to connect to the internet to retrieve your data.  Even when your own internet connection fails, you can always access the data anywhere you can connect online.  You also don’t have to worry bringing with you your storage drives when you travel as you can always access the files as long as you can go online.

There are just too many good things going when you use the online data backup service .  In fact, if you are running a business with your computers, you can eliminate the need for additional manpower to back up your important files and maintain the backup disks.  This will certainly contribute to the efficiency of your operations.

With the gradual transition to a paperless society, the need for online backup services has never been more felt. All sorts of important information and personal files can be rendered irretrievable in a matter of seconds. But by subscribing to an online storage backup facility, these scenarios could be a thing of the past.

And if you think that backup functions are all these services can offer, think again. Here is a rundown of what other benefits can be had from storing your data “in the cloud.”

Data Loss Protection . Computer crashes, hard drive failure, even natural disasters can bring about loss of data. Whether one loses important business documents or personal files, the damage can be just as equally difficult to recover from.

Anytime, Anywhere File Access . External hard drives may be able to provide secure protection from data loss but it does not allow remote access of your files wherever you may be as long as there is an internet connection.

File Sharing . Let family members take a peek at your latest pictures or work colleagues comment on your business proposal. Online storage backups provide for convenient file sharing with other people.

Now the question remains as to what you should look for in a storage service. When comparing backup solutions, ask yourself these five questions:

What features come with the package?

The basic features that most online backup services offer are file storage, remote file access, file sharing, automatic backups, and easy file uploading and downloading. Identify the features you need the most and check out which is the best online storage service for that category.

Is the service secure?

Security is a big issue for many online storage users. Unlike external hard drives where you have physical control over your files, you may think that online services can put your confidential files at a risk of unauthorized access. The good news is, online storage backups use encryption technology and password protection to ensure that your files are completely secure.

Is it the best value-for-money service?

Many online storage services come for free and these may be worth looking into. However, paying a small fee can also give you access to some of the better features such as unlimited storage space.

Is it easy to use?

Storage services should be as user-friendly as possible else you risk the possibility of not being able to backup your files properly. If a software seems too complicated to use, by all means scratch it off your list.

Is there sufficient technical support?

While using the service you may run into some snags. Prepare yourself for these situations by making sure that the online storage service you choose has a complete tutorial, customer service hotline, or online email or chat support.

Now that you know what to look for when finding the best online storage service, be sure to read the online backup reviews of the two most popular and widely used companies that provide easy-to-use and dirt cheap online backup for home users!

What Online Backup Can Do

There are a multitude of things that an online backup service of your data can do for you, and from which you can benefit from.  Of course, the primary function is to backup your computer files so that these are readily accessible in case you need them.

Online backup of your files also comes in handy when you are running out of space in your disk to save your important files.  You can be assured that with the service, you will be getting extra storage where your files are safely kept.

Your online backup can also be used as your guard against files being infected by malicious software.  With the backup service, you can rely that files kept online are safe from malicious attacks.  These same files may be corrupted with malware attacks especially when your computer does not have an anti-malware that is updated.

With an online backup, you will no longer find the need for flash drives and other media to store and safely keep your data.  You save on cost and effort in the process.  If you are running a business, you will realize how cost-efficient online data backup service can be.

How Does Online Backup Differ from Conventional Backups

The main advantage of online backup versus other backups such as tape backup is the reliability of data access.  When you backup your data online, there is no worry that the data will be lost or corrupted.  Whatever data you backup is the same data you can readily access and retrieve.

Conventional backups such as tape backup is not completely reliable as recovery method from this type of backup may be prone to error.  The disk can be corrupted or damaged depending on how careful the handling and storage of the recovery disk is.

Another difference is that online backup is more convenient as it is automated while conventional backup can be very tedious and will require additional manpower especially for busy individuals or businesses.

Why an Online Backup is Your Best Weapon

Online Data Backup guaranteed the integrity of your files.  As the process is automated, there is less or practically no human intervention at all.  This eliminates the risks of human error in performing manual backup of files.